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. 2010 Mar;10(3):3-11.
doi: 10.1080/15265160903585578.

Community members as recruiters of human subjects: ethical considerations

Christian Simon  1 , Maghboeba Mosavel
Affiliations

Community members as recruiters of human subjects: ethical considerations

Christian Simon et al. Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar.

Abstract

Few studies have considered in detail the ethical issues surrounding research in which investigators ask community members to engage in research subject recruitment within their own communities. Peer-driven recruitment (PDR) and its variants are useful for accessing and including certain populations in research, but also have the potential to undermine the ethical and scientific integrity of community-based research. This paper examines the ethical implications of utilizing community members as recruiters of human subjects in the context of PDR, as well as the authors' experience with a variant of PDR in a research project in South Africa. The importance of situating PDR in a comprehensive community engagement process that is responsive to the constraints of science and local needs and interests is emphasized. The paper will have relevance to bioethicists, health researchers, and research regulators concerned about the appropriate use of peer-driven recruitment strategies in health research.

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